Some folks bang pots and pans. Others tote empty suitcases to bring on a year of travel. Whatever your tradition, communities across North Carolina are hosting family friendly (booze-free) events to welcome 2015.
New Year's Eve
Pickle: At 7:00 p.m., the Mount Olive Pickle Company will drop a three-foot glowing pickle at the corner of Cucumber and Vine in Mt. Olive, N.C. The company says 7:00 EST is midnight Greenwich Mean Time. It also means people can go home early. Folks can watch a live feed of the pickle drop here.
Flea: The Eastover Community Center will host a family Flea Market at 10 p.m. They'll drop the ceremonial giant flea at midnight.
Opossum: You might have heard that Clay's Corner isn't dropping an actual opossum at this year's annual Possum Drop. (Clay Logan says opossum stew might go in that hallowed plexiglass box, instead.) But the party in Brasstown, N.C. will still go on. Each year, men from town will cross-dress and compete in the Miss Possum Drop contest. The Barker Brothers band will kick off the festivities at 8:45 p.m.
Stars: The Morehead Planetarium in Chapel Hill is hosting Night Lights from 3:00-6:00 p.m.. There will be light shows, crafts and a countdown under the stars.
Acorn: First Night Raleigh has a 7:00 p.m. acorn drop, and a traditional one at midnight. Amid the performances, rides and music, some attractions will have an ethereal quality. The Pop-Up Chorus welcomes people to show up and sing together. There will be a mobile theater, where actors lead the audience to several sites and communicate via text. There will also be a pop-up wedding chapel, actors pretending to be ministers and crying mothers of the bride and everything. (Note for brides and grooms: It's all for fun: You can't really get married there.) Event organizers say volunteers get free admission.
What a beautiful day to David Benson getting the famous acorn ready for its closeup! #FNRaleigh pic.twitter.com/rGv0fE2ERl
— First Night Raleigh (@FNRaleigh) December 26, 2014
Also, Capital Area Transit is offering free shuttle service from North Raleigh and East Raleigh to downtown near the Capitol.
New Year's Day
Fayettevillians will gather at Crown Complex at 11:00 a.m. a free meal of black eyed peas and collard greens.
To help get a jump start on New Year's resolutions, State Park rangers will be leading First Day hikes across North Carolina.
